Drumsticks cost around $8-$10 per pair for a standard hickory set, but, like many things, you can get the raw materials for significantly less. (Incidentally, this is also how I write my blog posts so cheaply - I purchase raw, unprocessed letters from a wholesaler and then assemble them right here by myself to save money.)

So I did a little shopping and got this gently used wood on eBay – only one previous owner. Unfortunately that one owner has been brutally killed and sawn into little pieces, but hey, that's life.

This is enough to turn out (ha!) drumsticks at about $1.33 each in materials, even after shipping. Though my time does cost $125,000 per hour making these the most expensive drumsticks in history.

So I made (half of) one of those blocks into this:

Starting to rough turn the blank

then this:

A more-or-less circular shape

then this:

Top stick awaiting final shaping at the sander

and finally this:

Final product

I personalized these for my drum instructor with his initials as a sort of thanks-for-putting-up-with-me gift. Due to scheduling issues I'm quitting lessons at the end of the month after putting in almost two years with him.

I printed the sticks by running them through my LaserJet 5. At the time it seemed foolish to buy the drumstick feed tray, but who is having the last laugh now, huh HP? Several coats of spray lacquer and a quick knock-down with 800-grit sandpaper and these babies are about to rock. We salute you!